Isaiah 24 10

Isaiah 24:10 kjv

The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

Isaiah 24:10 nkjv

The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in.

Isaiah 24:10 niv

The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred.

Isaiah 24:10 esv

The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter.

Isaiah 24:10 nlt

The city writhes in chaos;
every home is locked to keep out intruders.

Isaiah 24 verses

Isaiah 24 10 meaning

Isaiah 24:10 describes the utter destruction and desolation of the "city of chaos," a symbolic representation of any human city or civilization defined by emptiness, moral confusion, and rebellion against God. This judgment renders the city uninhabitable and inaccessible, signifying a complete and irreversible divine dismantling of human structures apart from God. It points to a profound and universal reversal, echoing a return to primeval emptiness, as the consequence of pervasive sin.

Isaiah 24 10 Context

Isaiah chapter 24 is part of what scholars call "Isaiah's Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27), a section characterized by its eschatological and universal themes of divine judgment and subsequent restoration. This specific chapter opens with a description of the Lord emptying the earth and laying it waste, scattering its inhabitants due to their transgression of God's laws (vv. 1-6). The judgment is global and cosmic, not limited to a specific nation. Verses 7-9 depict the cessation of joy, music, and social life as a result of this judgment. Verse 10 builds directly upon this, personifying the "city" as suffering a definitive, irreparable destruction, becoming utterly desolate and closed off. Historically, Isaiah spoke to a world embroiled in international conflicts, particularly with Assyria and later Babylon, where cities represented the pinnacle of human achievement and security. However, the scope here transcends any single historical event, painting a picture of a final, worldwide divine reckoning against humanity's rebellion, symbolized by the "city of chaos."

Isaiah 24 10 Word analysis

• The city: Hebrew: עִיר (`'ir`) – Standard term for a city or town. Significance: While literally meaning a city, in this prophetic context within Isaiah 24, it functions as a metaphor for any urban center of human civilization, pride, and self-reliance that operates independently of God. It represents the collective embodiment of humanity's sin and rebellion.
• of chaos: Hebrew: תֹּהוּ (`tohu`) – This is a profoundly significant word. It means formlessness, emptiness, desolation, confusion, wasteland, or nothingness. Significance: It directly echoes Genesis 1:2 ("the earth was `tohu` and `bohu` – formless and empty"). This suggests a cosmic undoing, a reversal of creation to a state of primal disarray. The "city of `tohu`" is not just destroyed but becomes a void, lacking any order or substance, stripped of all life and meaning. It highlights that sin reduces flourishing existence to existential void. This is a theological polemic against the supposed stability and order of human cities.
• is broken down: Hebrew: נִשְׁבְּרָה (`nishbera`h) – From the root שָׁבַר (`shavar`), meaning "to break, shatter, demolish." The Niphal perfect passive form indicates that it "has been broken," signifying a completed, decisive act of destruction. Significance: Emphasizes the utter demolition and irreversible ruin. The passive voice implies that this destruction is not self-inflicted but an act perpetrated upon the city by a powerful, unseen force – namely, God's judgment.
• every house: Hebrew: כָּל־בָּיִת (`kol-bayit`) – Literally "all houses" or "each house." Significance: Highlights the totality of the devastation. The judgment is not selective but affects every individual dwelling within the symbolic city, underscoring the universal nature of the calamity and the lack of refuge.
• is shut up: Hebrew: יִסָּגֵר (`yissager`) – From the root סָגַר (`sagar`), meaning "to close, shut, bar." The Niphal imperfect passive form indicates that it "will be (or is being) shut." Significance: Implies complete inaccessibility and cessation of activity. The houses are not just ruined but locked, perhaps even from within, suggesting that there's nothing left inside worth entering, or that entry is forcibly prevented. It speaks of utter silence and the end of communal life.
• so that no one can enter: Hebrew: מֵבוֹא (`mevo`h`) – Literally "from coming in" or "from entrance." The preposition `min` attached to a noun derived from `bo'` (to come, enter) functions adverbially to indicate lack of access. Significance: Reinforces the theme of finality and utter desolation. The city becomes a desolate monument, with its houses closed off, emphasizing that there is no more life, no purpose, no hope for return or inhabitation. It signifies an end to any interaction with that previous form of existence.

• "The city of chaos is broken down": This phrase encapsulates the core message of destruction directed at human civilization built on anything other than God. The term `tohu` elevates the destruction beyond physical ruin to an ontological emptiness and absence of God-given order.
• "every house is shut up, so that no one can enter": This second phrase elaborates on the consequence, portraying total abandonment and an irreversible state. The complete sealing of all dwellings signifies the termination of life, commerce, and human interaction, marking the profound finality of God's judgment.

Isaiah 24 10 Bonus section

The concept of tohu as applied to the "city" (and the earth in chapter 24) is a profound theological statement. In Genesis 1:2, tohu describes the unformed state of creation before God brought order. Here, it signifies a de-creation, where the order God established is reversed due to human sin, reverting existence back to a chaotic void. This underscores God's sovereignty not only as Creator but also as Judge who can dismantle what humanity has built. The "city" itself, often a symbol of human ingenuity and protection, becomes the very embodiment of disorder and meaninglessness. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that all human systems and securities, when severed from divine truth, are inherently unstable and ultimately destined for ultimate emptiness under God's judgment.

Isaiah 24 10 Commentary

Isaiah 24:10 starkly portrays the consequences of human rebellion against God through the imagery of a globally judged "city of chaos." This is not merely a literal city but a representation of the entire world system in its proud, self-sufficient, and morally empty state. The destruction is absolute ("broken down") and cosmic in scope, turning order into the "tohu" of primeval chaos. The shutting of "every house" signifies a universal and final cessation of life, joy, and access. It points to a divine judgment that leaves no sanctuary and no hope for return to the old order, establishing an inescapable boundary between the condemned and any possibility of restoration or re-entry, powerfully illustrating the finality of divine wrath against a world rejecting its Creator.